


Wanting Teddy.

by snarkyscorp



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Multi, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-14
Updated: 2009-12-14
Packaged: 2017-11-05 22:06:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/411497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkyscorp/pseuds/snarkyscorp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy's a stranger, a little bit, like a puzzle that's really hard to solve. But Albus likes puzzles, so he tries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wanting Teddy.

Albus is nine when Teddy moves in. Teddy is about to graduate from Hogwarts when his grandmother dies. He has nowhere to stay, so he bunks in James room while James is finishing his first year. Teddy is like a big brother, but it's still odd having him stay for good. He's a stranger, a little bit, like a puzzle that's really hard to solve. But Albus likes puzzles, so he tries.

But Teddy is like the one piece that just doesn't fit in right; he has purple hair, then he has blue hair, then it's gone altogether or in plaits or spiked and shaved or just like Al's to make him laugh. Albus doesn't really know Teddy as Teddy, just as the many personalities he puts on for everyone else. Until the night Albus overhears Harry talking to Teddy about the future.

"You could take the Auror exam—"

" _Again_ ," Teddy barks. "And fail it _again_ , Harry."

"I could help you."

"I don't need your charity."

Teddy storms out of the bedroom, face-first into Albus, who is wide-eyed at hearing someone talk to his father like that.

"You should be asleep," Teddy snarls. "Get to bed."

Albus runs, jumps into his bed, and covers himself up till his nose is the only thing poking free of the quilts. After some time, Teddy appears in the doorway. He is so big and tall and broad that Albus is afraid Teddy is going to hurt him. He's seen Teddy get angry, and he doesn't want to have to fight with him—Albus isn't strong like James cunning like Lily, nor brave like his father or talented with magic like his mum. Albus just is.

"Sorry, Al," Teddy says. He sits on the edge of the bed and pats Albus' small legs. Teddy is cold, and he smells like tobacco. He pulls his Ravenclaw scarf from his long neck and lets it fall over Al's bedspread.

"I'm sorry, too," Albus whispers, drawing the covers away from his red face slowly.

"Yeah?" When Teddy grins, his teeth are like an animal's—Albus knows he doesn't mean for them to be, but they are. "For what, kiddo?"

"For eavesdropping."

"Not your fault your dad talks like he's got a Sonorus Charm on him, is it?"

"Why don't you want to be an Auror, Teddy?"

Teddy's brows knit very close together; it makes Teddy look mean, and Albus starts to raise the covers again.

"I don't _ever_ want to be like anybody else, all right? Ever." Teddy stands up, paces a few times, and then growls. "Thanks a lot, Al."

Teddy stomps out and slams the bedroom door. He leaves his scarf, forgotten, on the sheets. Albus fingers the fraying fringe at each end and feels an odd sensation in the pit of his stomach knowing the scarf belongs to Teddy.

*****

Albus is thirteen when Teddy moves out. Teddy has been living at the Potter house for so long that everyone is used to it, except that Teddy is always breaking rules and out past curfew and bringing girls home and getting into all kinds of trouble. Harry is always yelling at him, and Teddy is always outside smoking, his Ravenclaw scarf whipping around his face.

The night Teddy gets kicked out, Albus has just come from playing Quidditch at the Burrow with Hugo. It is winter, and a delicate snow frosts Al's dark black hair. Teddy is outside, the last remnants of a cigarette pressed tight to his pinched lips.

"All right, Teddy?"

Teddy's eyes are dark when they meet Al's across the evening air. "Peachy," he growls. "Don't I look it?" Teddy turns away, sucking in the last bit of the fag. "Fucking wanker."

Albus' entire body feels hot at those words. Kids at Hogwarts call him a poofter, and it took him long enough to find out what that meant; worse was hearing the same insults from someone who was like a brother to him.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm not a failure!" Albus shouts. "Why don't you have another fag, Teddy, and shag your ugly little girlfriend some more where everyone can hear it? At least you'd be useful to somebody then."

Albus is breathing in and out so fast it hurts. Teddy has turned, is looking at him with wide eyes and gently-parted lips. Then Teddy snorts, grins, and cocks his hip.

"Listening, were you? Next time, I ought to let you watch, huh?"

Albus is so humiliated that he runs into the house, up to his bedroom, and locks the door. He is crying, and he's not sure why, but he knows it's all Teddy's fault.

He throws his own Ravenclaw scarf to the ground and stomps on it furiously.

Teddy is gone that night, after another row with Harry. Albus jerks himself off hard, presses his face into the wall, and thinks how Teddy would look fucking some girl into the bed. He recalls the bump-wheeze, bump-wheeze of the bedsprings and comes in seconds.

*****

Albus is sixteen when he walks in on Teddy masturbating. Teddy hasn't lived at the Potter house since Albus was thirteen, but they've seen each other at nearly every family event. Albus keeps to himself, even when Teddy provokes him, so they haven't said but two words to one another since the night Teddy moved out.

Tonight, Albus watches in the doorway as Teddy pulls and grips and tugs and moans. Teddy sits down on a large black object, and Albus cannot help the moan that spills from his lips as he imagines it is his own dick throbbing deep in Teddy's ass.

Teddy whirls around, eyes wide and blazing red, his hair singed with orange embers of rage.

"What the bloody hell are you doing, Albus?"

Al's heart is racing. He wants to run, he wants to watch, he wants to blow his load down Teddy Lupin's throat. Instead, he grips himself through his jeans, bites his lip, and shrugs.

"I…wanna watch."

"Well I want some sodding privacy, so get the fuck out!"

Albus retreats swiftly to his own room and presses his ear to the wall. He imagines the sounds Teddy makes are just for him and rides his orgasm out as Teddy spills himself as well.

When Albus sinks to the floor, he fingers the fringe on his scarf and remembers the fist time he felt like this—alone, rejected, and wanting Teddy. He wanders if it will ever be different.


End file.
